#368 Women & the Civil War Pension System w/ Kristin Jorgensen
Release Date: 05/11/2026
#374 The Senate's Hard Summer
The Road to Now
Ben & Bob talk about the history of the US Senate and why the august body is now under attack from both the Freedom Caucus and the Democratic Socialists of America. For readings discussed in this episode, check out Michael Trotti’s from Made By History (Oct. 29, 2025) and , which states: “The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to...
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#373 Good Government w/ Lindsey Cormack
The Road to Now
In an era of cynicism towards politics, Lindsey Cormak wants you to focus on what government has gotten right and to raise your kids to be active citizens. And as the host of the new podcast (alongside History That Doesn’t Suck’s Greg Jackson), and the author she has evidence and a framework for how to get there. In this conversation we cover all this, as well as Lindsey’s research on Veterans and her work to document political rhetoric via congressional emails at is Associate Professor of Political Science at Stevens Institute of Technology. This episode was edited by...
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Necropolis: Disease, Power & Capitalism in 19th Century New Orleans w/ Kathryn Olivarius
The Road to Now
joins Bob & Ben to explain the powerful role that Yellow Fever played in shaping all aspects of life in New Orleans during the 19th Century. Kathryn is Associate Professor of History at Stanford University and the author of She was also a 2024 recipient of This is a rebroadcast of #329, which originally aired on March 10, 2025. This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.
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The Civilian Conservation Corps w/ Neil Maher
The Road to Now
Between 1933 and 1942, the Civilian Conservation Corps enlisted more than three million young men in a project that planted two billion trees, slowed soil erosion on forty million acres of farmland, and enjoyed support across political and geographic divides. In this episode we talk with Neil Maher, author of about how the CCC helped solidify FDR’s New Deal and spread the seeds of environmental activism for generations to come. is a Professor of History and Master Teacher in the Federated History Department at the New Jersey Institute of Technology and Rutgers University-Newark. He is...
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Mitch McConnell: The Price of Power w/ Michael Tackett
The Road to Now
Journalist joins Ben & Bob to discuss his book (Simon & Schuster, 2024). Tackett, who wrote the biography with McConnell’s consent, was granted unprecedented access to McConnell’s vast personal archives, his staff, and even the Senator himself, who sat for about 50 hours of interviews. If you’ve ever wondered how Mitch McConnell rose to power, how he's stayed there despite challenges from both parties, or what makes the man tick, this conversation has the answers. Michael Tackett covers . His work has earned him multiple awards, including the Pulitzer Prize and the Edgar...
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Citizen Coke: The History of Coca-Cola w/ Bartow Elmore
The Road to Now
Coca-Cola is one of the most well-known products on planet earth, but did you ever wonder how a brown fizzy drink fueled the rise of a corporate juggernaut? The answer, says Ohio State historian Bartow Elmore, has everything to do with its business structure. In this episode, Bart offers his take on how Coke went from Atlanta soda parlors in the late 19th century to markets across the globe in less than a century, all along reaping tremendous benefits from public infrastructure while passing the bulk of its environmental costs on to others. Bart also talks about the difficulties of doing...
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The Declaration of Independence
The Road to Now
On July 2nd, 1776, the Second Continental Congress adopted a resolution stating that “that these united colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states.” Two days later, on July 4, they adopted the Declaration of Independence, read here for you by (in order of appearance): Bob Crawford, The Road to Now Lindsay Graham, History Daily Greg Jackson, History That Doesn’t Suck Lindsey Cormack, Government That Doesn’t Suck Ben Sawyer, The Road to Now Colleen Shogan, In Pursuit With final commentary by Lindsay Graham.
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Benjamin Franklin w/ Dayton Duncan and David Schmidt
The Road to Now
This week, as we approach the 250th anniversary of American independence, we shine a light on one of the founding generation’s greats: Benjamin Franklin It’s difficult to fathom how Franklin accomplished so much in a single lifetime. It’s equally difficult to imagine how to take such an incredible life and consolidate it into four hours of documentary film. In this episode, we cover both feats with writer Dayton Duncan and producer David Schmidt, two of the great minds behind Ken Burns’ documentary on Benjamin Franklin. Dayton and David discuss Franklin’s life, the work that...
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#372 Obstinate Daughters: Women in the American Revolution w/ Denise Kiernan
The Road to Now
The American Revolution touched the lives of everyone living in the American colonies, and though the focus is often on the battlefields and political debates, those who were excluded from those places nevertheless played a crucial role in gaining independence. In this episode, joins us to discuss her new book, Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers and Renegade Women Who Ignited the Revolution and how looking at the revolution through women’s lives gives us a more perfect understanding of the events that founded the United States of America. Denise Kiernan is the author of...
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#371 Been There, Done That w/ Greg Jackson
The Road to Now
If you feel like America is facing hard times right now, you’ve got a lot in common with your forebearers. Greg Jackson of joins Ben for a live conversation to discuss his new book and why he thinks highlighting some of America’s hardest moments can strengthen us as we work to preserve the American Republic on the eve of its 250th anniversary. If you enjoy this conversation, come join us in Nashville on June 24th as Ben hosts a live event with Greg to celebrate the launch of the book. The event, sponsored by Ben’s local bookstore, The Bookshop, is at 7pm at the Noelle. You can...
info_outlineThe Civil War was the bloodiest military engagement in American history, and for the wives of those killed or wounded in battle, the struggle for survival continued long after the shooting ceased in 1865. In this episode we speak with longtime friend of the show Kristin Jorgensen about her recently-defended MA thesis, “From Private Misfortune to Public Entitlement: Rural New York Widows and the Civil War Pension System” which tells the story of how the Federal benefits offered to the wives of Union soldiers helped transform women’s roles in American politics and society.
To find out more about Kristin’s work, you can follow her on linkedin or check out her business Pastward at PastwardHistory.com.
This episode was edited by Ben Sawyer.